Yuval Raphael

Whatever happens at the Eurovision final, Israelis feel that Noam Bettan has already won

Bettan has spent the time between the first semifinal and the final enjoying Vienna with his backup dancers and rehearsing for his Saturday night performance.

Noam Bettan with dancers
Noam Bettan, representing Israel attends the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest's 'Turquoise Carpet' event in Vienna, Austria, May 10, 2026.

Israel’s Eurovision contestant Noam Bettan greeted by cheering fans on turquoise carpet

Noam Bettan, Israel's representative for the Eurovision Song Contest 2026, poses in this undated handout photo.

After five countries quit Eurovision over Israel, over 1,000 entertainment figures push back

People cheer as they watch the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest finals being screened at a community center in Tel Aviv, Israel, on May 17, 2025.

Eurovision Song Contest oddsmakers predict Israel will win televoting again this year


Yuval Raphael is a symbol of Israel's astonishing resilience - editorial

Maybe people were simply voting for the song and the performance, not expressing any deeper political sentiment. Either way, we have reason to feel proud.

 Yuval Raphael, representing Israel, performs "New Day Will Rise," during the Grand Final of the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest in Basel, Switzerland, May 17, 2025

We’re big in Europe: Why Israel won the Eurovision audience vote - analysis

This is the third year in a row that popular votes for Israel vastly outstripped the number of votes it received from the national juries.

 Yuval Raphael, representing Israel, performs "New Day Will Rise," during the Grand Final of the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest in Basel, Switzerland, May 17, 2025

Yuval Raphael: 'There will be no real victory without the hostages'

The 24-year-old Nova festival survivor said that she felt the spirit of Israel came across plainly in the song.

 Yuval Raphael qualified for the Eurovision final in the second semi final on Thursday night.

Sirens sound across Israel as Israel takes second place in Eurovision

Saturday night's sirens came after the IDF struck two Houthi-controlled ports in Yemen that were used to transfer weapons.

 Ultra Orthodox Jews celebrating the Jewish holiday of Lag Baomer run to a public shelter as a siren alerts of incoming missile attack, in Bnei Brak on May 15, 2025.

WATCH: Yuval Raphael takes stage at the Eurovision finale

Israel's Eurovision contestant Yuval Raphael took second place at the Eurovision finale on Saturday night.

 Yuval Raphael, representing Israel, performs "New Day Will Rise", during the Grand Final of the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest in Basel, Switzerland, May 17, 2025.

Gal Gadot encourages Yuval Raphael before the Eurovision final

Speaking in Hebrew, Gadot told Raphael: “Celebrate your creation, it’s a creation of love and of so much light.”

 Yuval Raphael is representing Israel this year at Basel in the Eurovision song contest

My Word: Between songs and homecomings - opinion

Supernova massacre survivor Yuval Raphael’s participation in Eurovision symbolizes Israeli resilience amid hostility.

ISRAEL’S REPRESENTATIVE to the Eurovision Song Contest, Yuval Raphael, waves to a crowd in Basel this week.

'I spotted my friends from the bomb shelter': Yuval Raphael reacts to Eurovision semifinal

Raphael recounted spotting her fellow Nova music festival survivors in the audience, cheering her along.

 Yuval Raphael qualified for the Eurovision final in the second semi final on Thursday night.

Israel’s Yuval Raphael qualifies for Eurovision final

Raphael sang “New Day Will Rise,” a song by Keren Peles that references the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas on Israel.

 Yuval Raphael at her second rehearsal this week.

Eurovision: Switzerland once again bows to the conqueror - opinion

Switzerland, the neutral country, approves anti-Semitic riots in the name of "freedom of expression," but prohibits pro-Israeli demonstrations.

 Yuval Raphael at Eurovision rehearsals in Basel, Switzerland, May 7, 2025.